Ulic

I don't get plastic bags from Makro, and I don't have any problem getting things home. I just bring my back-pack. I do bring my reusable plastic containers when I go to the Jomtien Night market. It brings a puzzled look to the stall operators face, and then a smile. All that said I still use plenty of plastic for fruits, vegetables, and meats I pick up at Makro. As has been pointed out, it is the disposing of these plastics that is the problem. I think the answer is the high-temperature burning and conversion to energy by Sweedish designed/type power plants. Maybe not a perfect solution but as they say "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good". 

The water that is usable is an estimate and probably an overestimate. As for when the rains will return, they are predicted to be late and lite this year meaning next year is looking even more difficult. Even this year could be a disaster in the making. The first few heavy downpours will not add to reservoir levels. They just will return moisture content to the ground. Hopefully, they will implement better water planning this year. With all the extra construction of condos and hotels, Phuket is going to need better water management.

400 pages, too much for me. I will wait for the unredacted report and then read the sections that were redacted. 

I have a slightly different opinion. Every age demographic is desirable when you can charge high premiums and the coverage is minimal. I believe it is Thai insurance companies along with hospitals that are pushing this scheme. Big, big money to be made by them. Lower tourism numbers and revenue will affect the rest of the tourist industry. We will see what comes to pass. 

If they are the new 2013 designed bills, no issues. It is the older bills that are easier to counterfeit. 

Soon to be lots of snouts at a new feed trough. 

I was just reading an article on the tickets handed out in Phuket during Songkran. Over 900 failure to wear helmets, over 500 driving without a license and I believe third most was a failure to wear seatbelts, and still a couple of days to add to the totals. Note, those were tickets handed out which does not include direct contributions to tea money. If they kept this enforcement going year round the population would soon learn to comply with the law because they will be caught and fined if they don't. It is not the law, or fines that have to change, its enforcement.

I am surprised that it's not done at birth here in Thailand or collected for when you apply for your Thai ID card.

The corrupt complaining about the corrupt as far as I am concerned. Move along, nothing new to see here. 

When you play with the bull, sometimes you get the horns. The back peddling will now begin in earnest. 

Rebuild using new materials technology, Cheaper, stronger, safer, than what was available centuries ago, but keep the same appearance/skyline. There will be no shortage of donations. fund it out of the donations and French tourism board budget. 

Possibly time for a whistleblower to release the full unredacted report a week after the redacted report has been released. The Whitehouse should understand this is a real possibility and over redacting the report will paint the administration in an even worse light. 

Always a head scratcher that some airlines can get things so wrong and get into such debt while others remain at least marginally profitable. With fuel surcharges, most of the variables are removed from the equation. Just passenger loads are variable. Plane leasing and staffing are a fixed cost, as are airport fees. The operators just have to have good staff/service and keep the planes full.

16 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

No use to wear a helmet without using the strap. Unless you only care about escaping the fine for not wearing one.

Yes, a helmet without using the chinstrap is just a hat. 

People really have to learn, if you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place an have a nap. 15-30 minutes or whatever it takes. Even if you are almost home, safety first. 

The pool and air-conditioning is my answer. That said it's the long Songkran in Pattaya forcing me to hunker down that has me a little snappy. At least I know it will be safe to venture out on the 20th. The heat will be with us for quite some time.

So everything not sweetness and light in the marriage. I am sure that it will be resolved with wai and possibly a grap. He should leave the country as soon as possible. Hell of a temper Thai women have and insulting the family is a red line crossed.

Has that not been the EU plan all along. Turn the screws hard enough in negotiations that the UK taps out.

Sounds like the Thai three months. My guess is 10 years to get the first 90 % done and another 10 years to get it fully completed. 

Why give?  It would rob the French of warm fuzzy feeling you get when you give to a good cause. 

Obviously, the wife had to wait to make sure he was "fully" dead, you don't want to chance a recovery after going to all that trouble of getting a patsy.